Paul F Ross

Ross, Paul Frederick, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.), Age 99, of Centerville, Bethany Village, passed away November 22, 2016. Born May 10, 1917, he was the son of Edward and Henrietta (Oertel) Ross of Alton, Illinois. He is preceded in death by his brother Edward and sisters, Helen and Pauline; wives Roberta, Bertha and Julia. Paul and Roberta (Tucker) Ross were married from 1942-1965 with children Paula (William) Berg, Susan Ross, Edward (Susan) Ross, Robert (Ellen) Ross and Richard (Linda) Ross. Married from 1967-1980 to Bertha (Merriman) Ross, with children Donald Ross and Carol (Fred) Simonds. Paul was then married to Julia (Hendricks) Ross from 1983-2011, with children James (Brenda) Kahlo, Trudy Frank and Deborah (Edward) McIntosh. With all the families, he has 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Margaret (Mark) Parker-Hoddap is also a close part of our family. Upon Julia’s passing, he moved to Bethany Village where he lived for the past 5 years and where he met good friends and received excellent care, breaking the bank at Bingo. Paul was a graduate Engineer from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy where he started his flying career by building and learning to fly a glider. In 1944 after he began work at Curtiss Wright in Airplane manufacturing, he was called to active duty in WWII. He piloted a B-24 for 35 missions out of Italy with the 376th Heavy Bomb group, escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen fighter group. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medals for meritorious missions. He next flew C-119’s and C-47’s in the Korean War logging 629 combat hours of flying. After a short stay in the U.S., he and the family of six transferred to France for two years where he commanded the 465th troop carrier wing of 200 men. Back in the states, Paul retired as a Lt. Col. In 1965, and then continued as a civilian for the Air Force for another 20 years at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH. He continued his love of flying by rebuilding an antique Piper Cub and flying it until he was 93. “Poppy” could build or fix anything, loved his animals: sheep, chickens, dogs and cats. He appreciated the staff at SICSA for bringing pets to Bethany for the residents to enjoy. He was a “tightwad” for himself but generous to those he loved and his church. He was a longtime member of Ohmer Park United Methodist Church. Boy Scouts was a love of his. Paul was an Eagle Scout and helped his three sons attain the same. He was a volunteer Scoutmaster wherever we lived. Those who so thoughtfully cared for him at Bethany called him a true gentleman; his family loved him as a devoted father and Patriarch of the clan. He will join his wives and friends in heaven in the eternal peace that he so deserved. A funeral service with will be held November 25, 2016 at 12 noon at Tobias Funeral home, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Rd. Beavercreek, OH 45432. The family will receive friends at 11 AM until the time of service. Interment will be Monday, November 28, at 11:00 AM at Mt. Zion Park Cemetery, 27 S. Fairfield Rd. Beavercreek, OH 45440, with Military honors. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to SICSA, 2600 Wilmington Pike Dayton, OH 45419. Condolences may be sent to www.tobiasfuneralhome.com